Brewer, I see you lurking about here once in a while. I miss you and your insights into beer. We need you to play with us. I know things have been tough for you recently on several levels...........but this is a home for you, where you have friends. Come play with us again!!

Do not go gentle into that good night,Old age should burn and rage at close of day;Rage, rage against the dying of the light. - Dylan Thomas

Thanks Mike. I have had my ups and downs over the last year, and although this years been better than last, I'm still having some health problems. So, I haven't been drinkin' much of anything. But, a week or so ago, when I was feeling OK, I opened up some homebrew. Mind you, I haven't had the time or energy, to do any homebrewing for a few years now. So, what I opened up was at least 3 years old. And I'd have to say it was damn good. Still lots of carbonation, and loaded with flavor.

So for those of you that think that you have to drink beer real quick before it goes flat, or bad, I disagree. Granted, what I brew are ales. I don't know the shelf life of lagers, which may be shorter. I also tend to brew higher gravity brews, so that may help also. I also store my beer out of direct sunlight, as that can have a major impact on a beer's longevity.

In addition, I have vintages of Monster Ale going back quite a few years. Same for Anchor's Christmas beer and a couple of other brews. Hopefully sometime soon (when the health is good) Mark and I plan to do a tasting of some of these oldies, but I'm sure, goodies.

Thanks again Mike for thinking of me. I hope alls well with you and your family. I'm mainly trying to get health, and stay that way. One thing I've learned over the last year, is that there is NOTHING more important than your health.

Regarding my "lurking", I'm here just about every day, at least checking in that all's well. Which of course it is, because we've got a great group of people here. Leaves little for a moderator to do!

Bob,
I do hope all is getting better. We do not want to make it hard on you so we do try to behave. However, if you are getting bored we could liven things up - we will just accuse Linn of being a closet Maker's Mark fan!

Onto the other point of my post...what has been your experience with aging beer? Do you attempt this? If so, what's your opinion regarding beer that's been sitting in your cellar for a few years? This question involves homebrew as well as commercially availble brews.

Onto the other point of my post...what has been your experience with aging beer? Do you attempt this? If so, what's your opinion regarding beer that's been sitting in your cellar for a few years? This question involves homebrew as well as commercially availble brews.

Bob, my experience has been that aging homebrews works to their advantage. Every one I have retained for 10 months or more has improved in the bottle. That is not the case for most commercial beers though.

I think the fact that the homebrews are essentially bottled conditioned (they continue to ferment ever so slowly because we put the malt or sugar in just before bottling to create the carbonation) keeps them fresher longer. Plus, most of us homebrewers know enough to keep them away from heat and from any light sources, the two big destroyers of beer flavor.

Do not go gentle into that good night,Old age should burn and rage at close of day;Rage, rage against the dying of the light. - Dylan Thomas

I recently openened some Sierra Nevada Bigfoot Barleywine Ale 1999. I bought this new in 1999. It was good. I wasn't sure if it was bottle conditioned or not. It poured a little cloudy, so I'm assuming bottle conditioned. The beer was amber colored and no real head, but lots of tiny bubbles coming up the insides of the glass. The taste was a bit like a dry sherry except for the carbonation and hops. There was still a strong taste of hops but it had mellowed with age. That is I could taste other flavors than only hops. When this stuff was new it had more hops than anything else available. I have kept some home brews for a couple years before opening with good results. Strong bottle conditioned beers age like vintage Champagnes. Average strength pasturized beers are ok for maybe a year then gradually deteriorate.